Introducing THE WAR LANTERN, coming from DCB Young Readers, October 2026. This middle-grade historical fiction follows the lives of three children one day in 1941, when bombs fall, families vanish, and the war lantern burns. More: phdowding.blogspot.com @cormorantbooks.bsky.social

THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD is a Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Book Spring 2026! Thanks to my publisher DCB and the CCBC and congrats to all! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social @kidsbookcentre.bsky.social

A little cherry blossom action at High Park in Toronto today. Happy May Day!

Congratulations to our Willow Award nominees! THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD by Philippa Dowding, RED FLAGS AND BUTTERFLIES by Sheryl Azzam, and WE BURY NOTHING by Kate Blair. @mandagroup.bsky.social #IReadCanadian #kidlit @phdowding.bsky.social @kateblair.bsky.social @willowawards.bsky.social

Thank you to the SYRCA WILLOW AWARDS! "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd" is a Shining Willow 2026 nominee, congrats to all! willowawards.ca/ @cormorantbooks.bsky.social

The robins in the park yesterday reminded me it's spring! To celebrate, here's Bat and Byrd's origin story: One summer night, a bat and bird flew over my head then chirped & swooped & flew into a tree together. I couldn't stop thinking about them, and so a story was born! phdowding.blogspot.com/

Celebrate friendship with THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD! An early reader chapter book about what it means to love your friend, right to the very end. For ages 6 to 9 (and 99), a gentle read-aloud for everyone. MORE: phdowding.blogspot.com @cormorantbooks.bsky.social

The Ontario Library Association Super Conference is next week in Toronto! I'm delighted to be signing my new book, THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD on Thursday, Jan. 29, 1:20 p.m. Find me in the OBPO Pavilion, please drop by and say hi. #olasc #writer #newbook @cormorantbooks.bsky.social

Winter! Today is all about skiing through the woods to the cottage and a roaring fire. If you're in southern Ontario today, my guitar instrumental with Allister Thompson is for you! @allistert.bsky.social #music #wintersong #musician

Enjoy a little sweetness from Grade 4 students. Thank you to them for writing to me about THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #writing

A story for your heart's desire the Christmas that you were six ... enjoy the Tin Foil Fairy❤️

"It is an emotional rollercoaster ... our class loves it." And more very sweet letters from grade 4 students. Enjoy a little love from the next generation of readers! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #writers #kidsbooks

The Love Song of Mr. Byrd by @phdowding.bsky.social with illustrations by Caroline Clarke is a balm for the soul. A reassuring story of friendship: poignant, lyrical, wise in an empthetic perspective for young readers. I loved this book. Much needed in our current world. #kidlit #canadiankidlit 📚👍🏻

Q&A with Philippa Dowding about her children's chapter book, THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD. tinyurl.com/596uvj6w @phdowding.bsky.social

What is The Love Song of Mr. Byrd about? What made you write it? Are there books that inspired you? Who would enjoy this story? Q & A about Mr. Byrd on the blog today! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social

What pairs well with a new book? Shortbread book cookies (bookies?)! "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd" cookies are almost too cute to eat ... (but they're delicious!) #writer #newbook #bookcookies #MrByrd #chapterbook @cormorantbooks.bsky.social

Meet Bat and Mr. Byrd, one with fur and one with feathers, who celebrate joy, loss, and love over one sweet summer. Enjoy the Book Trailer for THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD, with illustrations by Caroline Clarke @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #writer #booksforkids #Canadianbooks #ireadcanadian #chapterbook

"I wonder. I wonder if she’ll be back?" A wobbly start to a new friendship captured beautifully by illustrator Caroline Clarke. Is Bat his friend? Mr. Byrd just isn't sure ... how DO you make friends, anyway? THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD: phdowding.blogspot.com/2025/10/mr-b... #writers #booksforkids

It's publication day for THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD! Welcome, welcome new book, I hope you bring the world a little more love. Sing your song! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #writers #writingforkids #newbook

My author copies of "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd"! "This story is about friendship and love and is for everyone who has ever been moved to sing (or dance, or paint, or write, or celebrate) like Mr. Byrd. I hope he inspires you to hear your own song, & sing it, too." More on the blog! #cormorantbooks

Delighted to be signing THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD at Word on the Street, Toronto, this weekend. I'll be at the Cormorant/DCB booth, B11, this Saturday, September 27, at 2:45. Drop by and say hello! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #WOTS2025

"A new friend is a scary thing, sometimes." Here's the lovely back cover of "THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD," (Oct/2025), from DCB Young Readers. The sweet feather is one of 10 beautiful illustrations by Newfoundland artist Caroline Clarke. Booklovers, you can pre-order now! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social

Maupassant's "The Necklace" - a portrait of #fakes: "She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was unhappy as if she had really fallen from a higher station." #maupassant #botd #booksky

Honored to publish "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd" (Oct/25), with @cormorantbooks.bsky.social. An independent publisher, all their books are entirely made in Canada! Written by Canadians Illustrated by Canadians Edited by Canadians Designed by Canadians Published by Canadians and Printed in Canada!

"At twilight, the in-between time, anything can happen." The first chapter of "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd" is now free on Bookmanager.com if you need a little love rn.

Broadside Sudden morning rises - unsurprised by life, crisis, whispering over the city, in bells, in birds, in shadows floating out the 10th floor window - nothing returns to say goodbye - only hello. Swift, take me with you - Read all of Broadside : phdowding.blogspot.com/2025/07/broa... #poem

Best question at today's online middle-school presentation: "How did the book 1984 influence your dystopia, OCULUM?" Wow. My answer: oppressive and cruel Regulus was influenced by Big Brother. And love and free thought are banned in OCULUM, as in 1984. THANK YOU, fun & such great questions! #writer

On June 11, I’ll be speaking at the monthly CANSCAIP members’ meeting @ 7 pm ET. Meetings are via Zoom, & you can contact @canscaip.bsky.social for membership options or a one-time guest invitation. I hope to see you there! #CANkidlit #kidlit #picturebooks #novels #writerscraft #fiction #nonfiction

Check out our website for a 25% discount on all our books. Stock up on your summer reading! www.cormorantbooks.com/Sales/Summer... #BookSale #summersale #CanLit #IReadCanadian

A hawk keeps swooping by my office window as I work. I can see his fluffy belly feathers, he's so close. Makes me want to visit SMJ Falconry in Yorkshire! www.smjfalconry.co.uk

🏆 The Adversary by Michael Crummey has won the 2025 Dublin Literary Award! 🏆 Nominated by Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries and published by Knopf Canada, this powerful novel takes the top honour in the award’s 30th year. 🎉 #DublinLitAward #DLA30yrs

Roses are redde Noble are the manatees Yf we wante a bettir future Teach artes & humanityes

Here's a piece of music to celebrate the sustaining life of women in your life, whether mother, sister, daughter, friend. Enjoy Rivkah's Dance, with Allister T. @allistert.bsky.social

“A new friend is a scary thing, sometimes. You may have to change and adapt a little to make your friendship work.” Bat is wise in the way of friends. "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd" is coming soon, request a digital copy for review on the blog. @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #writer #writingcommunity

Spot the Spotted Owl. A little more wrought-iron whimsy from Toronto Island last week! #writingretreat #writer #torontoisland

Today in Whimsy: sweet wrought-iron bird art from Toronto Island! Who gets the worm? #ironart #chickadee #Toronto

Voted! One PAPER ballot, folded, put in the (overflowing) ballot box. Not an electronic scanner in sight. The three poll workers each had different coloured PENS, so no mix-ups. Seriously old school, and I've never been prouder to be Canadian! VOTE everyone!

Time out of the city for writing and a perfect window seat. Happy Saturday! #writer #writingcommunity

My sestina for poetry month, RESTORE: Let us shine in the tide and ramble, on the current, side by side, we begin. Hold each fragment of us and restore our shingled voices on the beach. We murmur in susurration, embrace our tides of imperfection. Full Poem: phdowding.blogspot.com/2023/12/phil...

May be a bit before it's truly green, but @friedawishinsky.bsky.social's message in her upcoming #MG #NF book KEEP OUR WORLD GREEN: WHY HUMANS NEED GARDENS, PARKS AND PUBLIC GREEN SPACES from @orcabook.bsky.social is important all year round. canlitforlittlecanadians.blogspot.com/2025/04/keep...

One year ago today I met the Governor General of Canada. What a great day and honour that was, that year went fast! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #writer #firefly

Thank you to @katiedozier.bsky.social and #ThePoetrySpace podcast for reintroducing me to the poetry of Li-Young Lee ("Big Clock" almosted gutted me). For Day 16 of #NationalPoetryMonth his poem "From Blossoms".

Sometimes it's about love. My next book, "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd," is now available for review! To request a Digital Review Copy of this short, sweet, lyrical ballad in 10 chapters, please use the publisher link in my post. @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #writers #kidbooks #writing

Entanglement Sustained, bird flight high over the beach, the curve of the heart, the beat of the wing. Where trees lie wound against the sky, grey arms fully bound with one another, grown. So that every breeze will hold them, trembling together in a symphony, sing. Full poem below. #poetrymonth

LOSS and Cailleboitte: A #poem and a paired painting for #poetrymonth #writer #poetry #poet

I played Air on the G String (Bach) on my cello for my daughter. She was quiet, she hasn't heard me play for a while, and patiently listened to all my mistakes. Then she asked me to play it again! That's love, right?

For Day 7 of #NationalPoetryMonth a flame of girl: "Dance, Girl" by #cankidlit author, poet, musician @phdowding.bsky.social #kidlit #poetry makes me want to dance defiance till I burn. More on her blog: phdowding.blogspot.com/2020/11/danc...

DANTE: [Lost yn a darke woode] VERGIL: BIHOLDE! Ich, Vergil, have come heere to leade thee through the three realmes of the afterlyfe. DANTE: That escalatid quicklye.

Lesson 13: "Practice corporeal politics... Put your body in unfamiliar places with unfamiliar people. Make new friends and march with them." ***There will be chances to practice corporeal politics all over the USA on April 5th.*** Find yours here: handsoff2025.com